Supreme Court of Pakistan
Supreme Court Justice Qazi Faez Isa on Tuesday issued a clarification for his participation in the Golden Jubilee celebration of the 1973 Constitution, in a bid to dampen criticism from some segments of society over the “bad optics” of him sitting alongside politicians in Parliament.
Expressing surprise at the critical reactions to his presence at the event commemorating the Constitution, the senior-most judge of the apex court noted that all judges of the Supreme Court had been invited to the event. “Prior to accepting the invitation, inquiries were made as to whether there would be political speeches, and assurances were extended that only the Constitution and its making would be spoken about; the program sent to me also confirmed this,” he wrote, adding that his staff had initially clarified this with the deputy director of the National Assembly and he had subsequently also spoken directly with the speaker. “I accepted the invitation as I wanted to show solidarity with the Constitution,” he added.
Noting that he had initially declined an invitation to speak at the gathering, Justice Isa said he had requested to speak after political statements were made in a few of the speeches to “correct any misconceptions that may arise.” He also noted that he had not chosen to sit at the center, but was sat there to show respect to a member of the judiciary.
“I may add that the elected representatives of the people are deserving of all respect,” he wrote, adding that without the politicians of the All India Muslim League, Pakistan would not have gained independence. “The Golden Jubilee of the Constitution is a celebration of all citizens; it is not the exclusive domain of any particular political party or institution. The significance of the Constitution must be impressed upon all, and this should be done continuously,” he said.
Noting that Pakistan had “broken apart” when it did not have a constitution, Justice Isa said this mistake had been rectified 50 years ago and the “peoples’ fundamental rights were recognized and enshrined in the Constitution. The salvation of all Pakistanis lies in adherence to the Constitution.”
Prior to the issuance of the judge’s clarification, Gujranwala Bar Association President Pervaiz Abid Haral had filed a complaint before the Supreme Judicial Council seeking the removal of Justice Isa for allegedly committing gross misconduct by visiting the “den of most corrupt, money-launderer and tax evaders mafia of Pakistan”—a reference to Parliament often invoked by the opposition—and using the political platform to condemn the judiciary by voicing his “biased” views. The filing of the reference was confirmed in a press release issued by the PTI media department.